Elastic edging for insoles of boots and shoes



(No Model.)

MpS HfiS'S.

Elastic Edging for Insoles of Boots and Shoes. No. 239,327. Paten tedMarch 29,1881.

Nmsrsns, PHDIO-LITNOGRAPHER. WASmNGTON, D, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MYER S. HESS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

ELASTIC EDGING FOR IN SOLES OF BOOTS AND SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,327, dated March29, 1881, Application filed February 2, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MYER S. HESS, a citizenof the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the county of Baltimoreand State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Elastic Edgings for Insoles of Boots and Shoes; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings, and

, to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a partof this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in insoles for boots and shoes,and has for its object to provide such insoles with an elastic edgeagainst which the upper may bear with out injury to the latter.

The ordinary leather insole, prior to my invention, is commonlychamfered a little around the edge on the lowerside. After the shoe hasbeen worn some time the edge of the insole becomes thin, sharp, and veryhard, in consequence of which it frequently happens that the upper iscut or breaks on a line with the edge of insole. My invention isdesigned to obviate this dilficulty.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a cross-section of a shoe,taken through the ball of the foot. Fig. 2 is an upper side view of aninsole having the elastic edge attached at one side and detached fromthe opposite side. Fig.3 is across-section of an inner sole such as iscommonly employed for hand-sewed work. Fig. 4: is a cross-section of aninner sole such as is commonly employed for machine-sewed work. Figs. 5and 6 are cross-sections, on a large scale, of my edging for the insolesof boots and shoes.

The letter A designates the insole of the shoe, B the upper, and O thebottom. Each edge of the insole, along that part corresponding to thetread or ball of the foot, is cut out, as shown at d, on one edge inFig. 2. The sole is prepared in this manner for both handsewed andmachine-sewed shoes.

The elastic edging is made of any material possessing the requisitesoftness and elasticity, preferably rubber, or some compound into whichrubber enters. I have found that rubber partially vulcanized serves forthe purpose best, because its character remains unchanged. It does notsoften or harden or become sticky, and is not affected by the moistureor dampness occasioned by the perspiration of the foot. The elasticedging is manufactured in strips of any convenient length, and is formedof a flat strip, which, from a thick edge on one side, tapers or bevelsoff to a knife-edge, e, on the other side, as shown in Fig. 6.Projecting from the thick edge, at a right angle to the flat surface, isa raised edge, F. A piece of this elastic edging is cut of proper lengthto fit in the cut-out part d of the insole, and the flat snrface,or thatpart having the beveled edge e, is attached to the lower side of theinsole, by means of any suitable cement or other fastening, in suchposition that the i raised edge F of the elastic edging may occupy thecut-out part 01, which it should exactly fit. By this means it will beseen the contour or outline of the insole is restored and the leatherinsole is provided with a soft elastic edge.

For hand-sewed shoes the flat strip havingthe beveled edge is madenarrower to adapt it to the peculiar bead g on the bottom of such soles.For machine-sewed shoes the fiat strip is made broader, in order thatthe stitching may pass through the flat strip. It will be understoodthis improvement is applicable to boots and shoes of every description.

I have shown my improvement as applied to the edge of the insole onlyalong that part corresponding to the tread of the foot, because it is atthat part where most of the breaks oc- I our in the upper; but theelastic edge may be applied to any part of the insole.

It will be noticed that when the shoe is on the foot the elastic edgedinsole acts as a cushion to bear on the upper, which extends under theinsole.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United States-- l. As a new article of manufacture, theedg ,ing for insoles of boots and shoes, consisting of a strip ofsuitable elastic material having a surface to be attached to the lowerside of the insole and a raised edge, F, to extend around the edge ofthe insole, as set forth.

2. The combination of a leather insole having each edge, along that partcorresponding 5 to the tread or ball of the foot, out out and a strip ofelastic material attached to fill the cutout'part, substantially as setforth.

MYER S. HESS.

Witnesses:

HENRY BERNHEIMER, JOHN K. STEIN.

